Premies Eating Solid Foods

my daughter was also a preemie.she was born 10 weeks early. I started her on solid food when she started getting teeth to chew. if she could eat it and not choke on it, we gave it to her. she didn't have any problems with her stomach. by the way... she is now 12, 5'2" and healthy as an ox!! good luck to you.

Take your cues from your babies. My son is 9 1/2 months, but his adjusted age is 8 months and he's just now really wanting table food. They'll let you know one way or another if they want what you're eating. My son gets fussy and doesn't stop until we give him some of what we're eating. He still eats baby food, but we're getting into the phasing him off of it. At an adjusted age of 6 months, they may still be a little young to do well eating the bigger pieces of food. Take it slow. Are they eating Cheerios? If so, how well are they doing on those? Do they tend to kind of choke on them or are they going down well? Also, have they mastered the pincher grasp where they're picking up things with their index finger & thumb? Just a couple of things to watch.

Congrats on the twins!

I would contact their doctor. I did not start my son on table food until I got the go ahead from them. They can also give you suggestions with what to start with. I started with vegetables and he loves vegetables. He picks that out for a snack instead of pudding etc. Good luck

I am a SAHM of 3 boys. For my babies, I boiled white rice (1 part) in water (2 part) and add finely chopped veggies. If they eat all kinds of baby food, you can probably add several kinds of veggies. I actually didn't give them store bought baby food. I started with home made rice gruel and thickened the consistency as they grew older. Boiled lentil soup is one of the best legume for babies. Cook it in water with chopped cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. (mix and match as you feel comfortable). In the beginning, I recommend you blending the soup after cooking it. They love it, and I LOVE it!
If my babies handled the homemade food from the beginning, I am pretty sure your babies will be fine especially after eating the store bought ones. Only thing about homemade food is that you should avoid seasoning (especially salt) as long as possible.
Good luck!

My daughter is 9 months, she was full-term and she still has problems with some larger chunks of food. She wants to be able to eat everything that I do, but I think is too impatient to chew. She has 6 teeth, so I know that's not the problem. She seems to like and does well with the puffs that Gerber makes. They are cereal size, but dissolve much better than cheerios or something similar. If you have a food processor, grind up what you are eating so they get used to the flavor and add a little water. A book on making baby foods would probably be helpful as well. Be careful with certain foods- especially vegatables. Things like carrots and green beans have too many nitrates that aren't digestible until 9 months at least. I wouldn't rush it, they have their whole lives to eat!

First, I would also ask your pediatrician, as they know exactly how your twins are doing, and would have excellent suggestions. :) Additionally, I know you say they've started cereal. Do you mean just the instant flakey stuff you put milk or water in? If so, I'd start with rice puffs or cheerios, etc. If they get one at a time, they usually wet it until it is soggy before they swallow it, and that is a more solid food. I would also just start making the things they already get in baby food, and mush them up to a little more grainy than the baby food. You can then control the consistency, and it can change over time. Mashed carrots (very cooked), and pototoes, etc. work well. Also, regular applesauce, not the baby food jars, etc. Do you have a blender? Use that for what you normally eat together. But, whatever you do, make the change slowly, and in addition to what they are already getting, so that you know the transition is smooth and workable. I hope this helps. Good luck, and congrats on having two healthy twin babies. :)
J.

A. -

I would check with your pediatrician, but my 28 weeker was starting some solids @ 7-8 months. He did tell us to advoid meats (including baby food meats) until at least 9 months, but we could start some finger foods and yogurt earlier. It really depends on how your babies are doing - if they have any digestive issues your ped. may want you to wait a bit.

J.

I also have preemie twins. They are now 20 months old. Being they are only a corrected age of 6 months I might wait a month or two to start solids. Unless they are showing signs of wanting table foods I would wait. Around 6 1/2 to 7 months corrected my preemies refused baby food. I gave them smashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and cut up tiny pieces of well cooked carrots or green beans to begin with. Small pieces of canned peaches and pears (I know they're high in sugar, but they are a lot softer in texture than fresh fruit) worked also. Puffs, I think are made by Gerber and you can buy in target or walmart etc, dissolve fairly quickly. You'll be able to tell when you can handle larger foods and chewy foods, because they'll start a pretty good chewing action. Hope this helps.

Hi A.,
I would ask you dr first but I have 2 peemies. A 32weeker and a 34 weeker. I started table food at about 9 months. I hope this helps!

I have an 8month old son that is not a preemie, and he still doesn't eat non-baby foods. Last night I gave him his first spaghetti noodle, and he just played with it most of the time. I think he sucked on it some, but I don't know if he actually ate anything. I think all babies just handle foods differently :) Good luck!

I started my premie, twins who were 2 months early, at about 8 months too. I started them out on vegies and those meat sticks that gerber makes. I just made sure I cut it all up good and they did really well. Ihad home nurse that stopped in with my little guys and I did it when she was here to see what she thought and they did really well.
Hope this helps.
Ang

I would suggest talking to your pediatrician. As an occupational therapist who worked with little ones, 3 and under, I know that usually there is a team of doctors overseeing these kids. From my experience, there is usually a nutritionist who can offer information on your babies' special caloric needs, as well as what they should be eating when. If your twins are not getting care that comprehensive, then at least check with their doctor, as he/she should be able to answer your questions. Glad your twins are doing well.

i echo the other responses. to ask your dr since they know best how your individual preemies are doing. one may be ready and the other may not. my daughter was a 28 weeker and wasn't ready till over a year. and with working with my hospitals nicu unit as a volunteer, i can tell you, a baby can be a 28 weeker and be ready before a 32 weeker is depending on the individual baby and their issues.

good luck..

i'm guessing you could try a little bit and see how they react.

Baby Humans are just like any other baby mammal when they are ready for solid foods they will find them :-)

I think you should take cues from your babies about when to start them on foods other then baby foods, but that you don't need to be in a hurry. All kids need to be introduced to foods slowly, and it isn't recommended that children under the age of 1 yr have foods that tend to cause allergies, which can include wheat, dairy, and meats, which are in most adult foods. I don't introduce these foods until my children are almost a year, though they will want to eat some foods that you are eating before then. If they are reaching for food off your plate, then let them try some of the more whole versions of foods they have already had as baby food, like carrots, peas and fruit. Be careful, also, because you will think that you have made the pieces small enough for them to eat, but if all they have had is baby food, even the smalls piece of a whole food they will gag and choke on. It will take them a little while to get use to it.

I also have premie twins that are now almost 17 months old, they were 2 months early too. I started with getting them used to all baby food, but by 9 months (not corrected age) they were only eating table foods. I did puree everything in the magic bullet, but it worked so much better than buying so much baby food. I would actually make things ahead of time and them freeze them in little tupperware containers for them. One thing my boys love to this day is instant cream of wheat. It has become their favorite bedtime snack and fills them up more than just giving them rice cereal. They haven't had any issue in digestion of the food and are not overweight at all. They are in the 50 percentile, which is also not using corrected age. Let me know if you have anymore questions.
J.